1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to headgear and, more particularly, to collapsible headgear, especially to collapsible headgear having a bill of protracted length providing enhanced protection from the sun.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Spectators at outdoor sporting events and participants in other outdoor activities, such as field sports and maintenance work, could benefit from wearing headgear, such as a cap or a visor, that provides enhanced protection from the sun and other elements of weather and also that can be conveniently folded so as to form its own compact, case for transport and storage. Ideally such a cap or visor would feature a protracted bill that can be folded to form the case and, when unfolded, return the cap to its original shape and appearance. Further, the ideal cap or visor could include other features that protect the wearer from sun and weather.
Headgear such as baseball caps, visors, and the like, which can be folded or collapsed into more compact forms are known as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,896,218; 5,450,629; 5,845,339; and 5,903,921, to mention a few. Additionally, headgear, particularly baseball-type hats and visors with extended length or retractable bills are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,945,050; 5,075,898; 5,621,915; 5,689,830; 5,197,150 and D360,972.
The headgear of the present invention can be formed into a compact unit or case for ease of carrying and generally comprises a headband portion and a bill portion, the latter preferably being of protracted length relative to the bill of a conventional baseball cap or the like. The bill portion, in one embodiment, has at least two bill sections which are hingedly connected to one another. The bill sections are formed of a semi-rigid plastic and have a generally non-planar shape which can be considered a relaxed position wherein the bill section remains in a extended position projecting outwardly from the headband portion. The bill sections are releasably formable into a substantially flat or planar configuration whereby they can be folded around their hinged junctures. The headband is collapsible so as to be at least partially positionable under the bottom side of the first bill section. When the first and second bill sections are formed into a substantially flat configuration and the second bill section is folded to a position where the bottom side of the first and second bill sections face each other, the collapsed headband will be at least partially disposed between the bottom sides of the first and second bill sections.